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Sheriff Credits Public with Drop in Crime
Knox County's top cop says there's only one reason why crime statistics in the county are on the way down once again.

Sheriff David Clague says he was glad to see statistics recently released by the Illinois State Police indicating that the number of reported incidences of crime in all of Knox County went down 11% in 2007 compared to the year prior.

Clague tells WGIL he thinks the reason behind the overall decline is thanks in no small measure to the public. "The public themselves calling in suspicious incidents in their community, their neighborbood," Clague said. "For years, law enforcement has asked for the involvement of the community, and I think that's a huge plus that the community, the people, are out there calling in anytime there's anything suspicious."

Clague also attributes the drop in reported crime to better sentences by judges for crimes that have been committed, some new laws that have taken effect in recent years.

In Knox County, the state police says every category of crime dropped in 2007, except for the number of aggravated assaults and batteries -- which went up 18-percent -- and arsons, which increased from five to seven. In Galesburg alone, crime dropped 11% as well.

While most counties went down, the state says crime in Warren County went up 17-percent; Sheriff Martin Edwards there says he can't point to one reason for the increase, but points out that 721 reported crimes isn't a large number at all.
12 01 08 by Newsroom
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